Sir Frances Bacon, a sixteenth-century English philosopher and chancellor, is credited with the phrase “knowledge is power.” Knowledge is not only a means of personal development, but is vital to businesses around the world. It is the fuel of success and the key to opening the door to many opportunities. In business, knowledge is only as good as the people who communicate it. A solid foundation within an organization relies on an open line of communication. Imagine that a colleague or supervisor within an organization is withholding valuable knowledge. What kind of effects does it have on an individual and company level? These types of actions can have huge ethical implications starting from the bottom up. Factors such as job security, personal insecurities, and micromanagement are all possible explanations for hiding work-related information that contributes to a communication breakdown. A broad definition of ethics consists of moral principles and the philosophy of right and wrong. From this definition, ethics is not a reference by which people live their lives, but a way in which everyone can form their own guidelines. To break the definition down further, moral principles are person-dependent, and philosophy is defined as a belief system or theory. Ethical views are shaped by everything and everyone we come into contact with. Life experiences, religious beliefs, opinions of a higher power, governing law, family and friends all contribute to how people view ethics. Ethics in a business environment brings with it its own set of rules, principles and guidelines. As with any project, you must first examine and determine intentions to establish business ethics. Ethical ideas… middle of the paper… can foster trust and understanding, while poor communication poses an ethical dilemma on many levels. It can create uncertainty, lack of available resources, poor overall teamwork, and the spread of misinformation. A lack of communication at any level can potentially lead successful companies down the wrong path. By creating a solid set of ethical principles, company management is able to share its values ​​with employees. Tying these ethical guidelines through positive reinforcement is also a great way to educate employees and keep these business principles relevant. Whether your ethical approach is utilitarian or deontological, communication plays an important role in being effective and efficient. Effective leaders should strive to develop ethical values ​​that encompass their mission and find the best way to communicate those values ​​to their employees.